Can I order pepper spray or a stun gun from China?
Do not order pepper spray or a stun device for personal protection in the UK. They are subject to firearms import controls, and in Great Britain purchase and possession without the required authority are unlawful. If already dispatched, contact the police before arranging receipt. Factory details can be gathered by Cambridge China Bridge.
Treat these as weapons before placing an order
Home Office guidance identifies stun guns and pepper-based personal protection sprays as prohibited weapons. In England, Wales and Scotland, purchasing, acquiring or possessing prohibited weapons without the required authority is unlawful. Keeping the item at home still involves possession. Do not place a personal-protection order on the strength of a marketplace listing.
Tell the police the actual delivery destination when asking about an uncertain device. For Northern Ireland, ask the Police Service of Northern Ireland to assess the proposed purchase and possession. Use our import licence guide for the broader enquiry process.
Check the function behind the seller's description
Treat descriptions such as “personal alarm”, “security torch”, “animal deterrent” or “harmless self-defence spray” as claims to investigate. Ask for the exact model, photographs, instructions and intended function. For a spray, request its ingredients and SDS. For an electrical device, ask whether it delivers an electric shock and where the discharge occurs.
Send the existing documents to the police for assessment. Do not order a sample to test the classification yourself. A CE or UKCA logo, customer review or promise of discreet shipping is not a substitute for that assessment. Ask the seller to explain any difference between the listing, packaging and invoice.
Check import permission separately
Border Force guidance includes pepper sprays and high-voltage electric stun guns among firearms. Firearms imports are controlled. Ask the Department for Business and Trade's import licensing team which controls apply to the exact product and destination, and whether an import licence is required. Do not treat this as a routine parcel purchase.
Keep the product description consistent across the order, invoice and carrier enquiry. Do not accept a proposal to declare a shock device merely as a torch or an incapacitant spray as cosmetics. Our customs documents guide explains the wider shipment file.
If the order is already travelling
Ask the seller and carrier whether dispatch can be stopped or delivery held pending instructions. Preserve the listing, messages, payment record and tracking information. Call the police on 101 for a non-emergency enquiry, explain what you ordered and its current location, and ask how to handle the expected delivery safely.
For import-control questions, contact the Department for Business and Trade's import licensing team using the current contact details in its official guidance. Tell it that shipment has already begun. Do not arrange forwarding, return postage or collection yourself before receiving instructions. If there is immediate danger or a crime in progress, call 999.
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If it arrives or Border Force intervenes
If a suspected weapon arrives, leave it unused and avoid unnecessary handling. Contact the police and describe where it is. Ask about safe collection or surrender before taking it to a police station. Do not test the spray, activate the shock function, give the item away or put it in ordinary rubbish.
Failure to meet the import requirements can lead to Border Force seizure and prosecution. Keep any notice and follow our seizure guide for the response process. Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China can help gather the seller's product details and shipment records for your enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep imported pepper spray at home?
In Great Britain, possession of pepper-based personal protection spray without the required authority is unlawful. Keeping it at home does not remove that requirement. Ask the police before ordering.
Is a stun gun legal if the seller calls it a torch?
Do not rely on the label. Home Office guidance identifies stun guns as prohibited weapons. Send the model details and instructions to the police; do not import a sample to test it yourself.
Who should I contact if my pepper spray order has shipped?
Call the police on 101 for a non-emergency enquiry. Preserve the order and tracking records, ask the carrier about holding delivery, and contact the Department for Business and Trade's import licensing team about import controls.
Should I take an unwanted stun device to a police station?
Contact the police first and ask how collection or surrender should be arranged. Leave it unused and avoid unnecessary handling. Do not carry it to a station or post it back without instructions.